Molded decoy



Sept 15, 1953 A. H. RlscH ETAL 2,651,873

MOLDED DEcoY Filed Dec. 14. 1950 A 7' To/PA/E Ks.

Patented Sept. l15, 1953 MOLDED DECQY Arthur H. Risch and Arthur J. Nelson, Wanwa'tosa, 'Ni/is., vassignors .to :P- ulp Reproduction Company, Milwaukee, Wis., a corporation fof Wisconsin Application December 14, 1951),'Serial No.j200,708

3 'laims The present invention relates 'generally :to improvements in vthe production :of molded-pulp articles or Athe hire, and relates more Aparticularly to improvements inthe constructionV and assent- 'blage of molded aquatic decoys- A primary ob-jectof our present vinvention is Vto provide animprovedY 4decoy of the vtype used by hunters which isexceedingly light `in weight but nevertheless exceptionally durable -and sus ceptible of llong usageland rough handling, which Iis simple and inexpensive in construction and capable of partial dismantling 'for storage -or the like, and which furthermore tpossesses excellent 'balance 1and buoyancy on-water.

It has, of course, been common practice -for many years :to use imitation `decoys in hunting to luregameto-desired localities. Althoughwood vvas customarily employed in the production of such decoys until relatively recent years, decoys of molded paper pulp-have nowbecome extremely popular and extensively lused fbecause of the light weight and low cost thereof plus 4the ability to -mold vthe-sameinto life-like shapes. However, despite Vthe success renjoyed 'by these :molded pulp decoys, several vdiiliculties -have Yheretofore -been presentn the manufacture ofsuch articles. @ne of the Imajor diiiculties lencountered -is -in fthe sealing of the opening necessarilyleftinfthewall Ysuitable balancing vmeans for the hollow Vdecoys While maintaining the proper buoyancy thereof to impart a vtrue life-'like appearance thereto -while floating on Water. Finally, vconsiderable vdifficulty has also 'beenencountered inattempting vto minimize -the vstorage space -required -for quantities of the decoys, especially during oil- -season storage withoutundulyaiecting thefulti- -mate cost and without undesirablyweakening the fiinal structure.

It is therefore a more specific .object `of-our present invention :to provide a :new .and improved molded pulp decoy :which obviates all of fthe-disadvantages and difficulties lheretoore zattendant prior `devices of .thisfgeneral ',type.

Another speciccbjectlof the -imentionis to `provide an improved decoy 4formed `of, molded :paperpulp or thelike and'havingnaihollow body `provided lwith an access opening linthe front iportion `of the upper wall adapted'to be closed by the `neck,portion'loia ,separable molded;hea d.

2 Another specific robject Aof this invention isto provide an improved `molded fpulp decoy having -a separable l-head member adapted to `be readily secured to the-body in asimpleandeiectivemanner so as to close `theaccessopening lto the'body and permit adjustment of the head to various positions.

Another specific object vof our Yinvention #is to provide an'improved-hollowmclded decoy inwhich the anchor attachment means is .protectivelyrecessed inthe base, and which furthermore -re quires no righting board or base -closure -plate to provide buoyancy and/or sealing.

Still another speciiic object -of our 4presen-t invention is to provide an improved rhollowv'molded `be readily produced in large quantities ci Iinea-- pensive and light Weight materials by molding,

and which may-be quickly assembledlinrelatively-feW simple operations by a -noviceto provide a compact and durable final assemblage capable of being packed and/or stored 'in a minimum iamountof space.

An. additional specilic object ci the present inlvention is lto provide Y'an improved vdecoy comprising,a 'hollow molded bodyhaving ailocal/ recess near the front lportion `ofthe base and an access opening lin the v-top wall -a-bove said 'base recess, :anchor lattachment `means carriedby the base within said recess, a layer of adhesivesealing material substantially covering the internal surface of thebase, a head havingfa neckportion penetrating vand closing saidfaccessopen Aing, and means ior'maintaining `saidhead 2in position withthe Aneel; .portion :thereof within .said opening.

These `and other `specic objects and .advan- :tages of the lpresent invention `,will :be .apparent from v,the following detailed f description.

A clear conception or" the'severaleatures com stitutingour present invention, andyof thernode `of constructing andl of assemblingaaquatic .molded pulp decoys embodyinfr the improvements, maybe -had by referring :to the drawing accompanying andiorming apartoithis specification, wherein like reference characters designate .the

.same -or similar parts vin the .various views Fig. `l -is I a .central i longitudinal y Vertical section of molded paper pulp, it is not desired or intend- Y ed to unnecessarilyrestrict or limit the scope or utility of the improvements by virtue of such limited embodiment, since the invention may ob viously be more generally applicable to diverse types of decoys formed of any suitable moldable material.

Referring to the drawing, the typical aquatic duck decoy shown therein as embodying the invention comprises, in general, a hollow molded body 5 of fibrous material such as paper pulp formed with a local recess 6 in the base near the front portion thereof, anchor attachment means consisting of an eye 'I having a threaded shank 8 penetrating the base within the recess 6, an opening 9 formed in the top wall of the body 5 in substantial vertical alinement with the recess 6 for affording access to the inner end of the shank 8 of the attachment means, a head I9 adapted to normally seal the top opening 9, and means such as a resilient member II connected with the head I and with the shank 8 of the attachment means.

While the member II does, in fact, tend to secure or fasten both the head I0 and the attachment means 'I, 8 in seating position, it is preferable to provide separate fastening means such as a lock nut I2 for the threaded shank 8; and it is also desirable to provide a washer I3 or the like externally of the recess wall for seating of the eye 1. To effectively seal the joint around the shank 8 of the anchor attachment means against leakage, a quantity of suitable adhesive sealing material such as asphalt or tar is poured directly over the inner end of the shank 8 to provide a layer I4 of sealing material over the fastener I2 and in direct contact with the shank 8; and a sufi-lcient quantity of the sealing material should preferably be injected so as to extend the layer I4 over substantially the entire internal surface of the base, as shown, to thereby provide sufficient balancing weight to insure righting of the decoy on water as well as to reinforce the base. additional reinforcement for the base and to aid in properly balancing the decoy while afloat, the base is also formed with a central internally recessed keel I5 extending longitudinally of the decoy and terminating at the local recess 6 to conceal and protect the anchor attachment eye l, and the keel recess is, of course, also lined with the thick adhesive sealing layer I4. If it is desired to further reinforce the base of the decoy body 5, reinforcement beams or corrugations I6 may be formed on opposite sides of the keel I5, and any desired number 0f such beams, also extending longitudinally of the base, may be provided. The head I0 of the decoy may also be formed of molded pulp or the like, and is preferably provided wth a depending tubular neck portion I'I of reduced diameter adapted for insertion into the top opening El so that the adjacent annular flange I8 formed thereby may be seated directly against the upper wallof the body 5, the

Asan,

head being pivotally movable to some extent to different positions of adjustment. To provide a means for connecting the member II with the head, a plug I9 of suitable material may be screwed within the end of the tubular portion I'I, the plug I9 being provided with a bail 20 adapted to receveone end of the member Il, and the member II may conveniently assume the form of a tension spring, as shown, hooked at its lower end into an eye 2 I or the like formed on the inner end of the shank 8 within the body 5.

In addition to the foregoing, the top opening 9 in the body 5 is preferably tapered, as shown, with the depending tubular reduced neck portion II of the head I0 being correspondingly externally tapered to insure positive seating and tight sealing between the head and body about the neck portion when the head is applied as described. Furthermore, to aid in positively correctly seating the head I0 while limiting pivotal movement thereof to the most natural life-like and common positions relative to the body 5, the front external breast portion of the body 5 is provided with a. smoothly curved substantially frustroconical surface generated about the pivotal axis of the head and extending substantially from one side of the body to the other side thereof with the contour of the body 5 therebeyond gradually varying and finally terminating in a substantially flat top surface approximately parallel to the body base extending rearwardly of the top neck opening as shown, and the front nose or beak portion of the head I9 is formed with the lower external surface of a contour substantially corresponding to the smoothly curved adjacent exterior surface of the breast portion of the body 5 also as shown. By such construction, the beak portion of the head I0 and the breast portion of the body 5 will remain in substantially contacting relation when the head is turned relative to the body with the pivotal movement of the head being limited in an obvious manner to an arc of a length equal to the breast portion of the body having similar contour, thereby also resulting in a more durable construction in which the relatively fragile beak portion is somewhat reinforced by the breast portion of the body.

In the production of aquatic hunters decoys embodying our invention, the hollow bodies 5 may be initially produced in a well-known manner with standard suction molding machines, the pulp being fed to the molds through the top opening 9; and the heads I0 may be produced in like manner, with the pulp being fed through the openings in the tubular neck portion I'I. After the bodies and heads have been initially produced, they may be impregnated with a suitable water-proong material, and the interiors of the shells 5 and I0 may be coated or impregnated with an adhesive sealing material such as asphalt, tar, or pitch. The attachment means T, 8 may then be applied within the base recess 6 in an obvious manner and secured in place by the fastening means I2, after which a considerable quantity of the asphalt or tar may be poured through the top opening 9 directly over the recess 6 and attachment means l, 8, the material being permitted to flow over substantially all of the internal surface of the base to provide the layer I4. The tension spring II may then be hooked into the eye 2I of the attachment means, and the other end of the spring may be hooked over the bail or the like formed on the plug I9 which may be applied to head I0 in an obvious manner, and the head may then .be positioned over the opening 9 with the tubular neck portion penetrating such opening. The head i9 may either be irmly secured in position by means of a suitable adhesive, or the adhesive may be omitted to permit pivotal movement of the head and subsequent removal thereof.

From the foregoing detailed description, it will be apparent that the present invention provides an improved decoy assemblage which is extremely simple and durable in construction, which may be produced in large quantities and at relatively low cost with inexpensive materials, and which may be molded to exceedingly life-like formation for effective usage. By reason of the improved construction, the usual bottom sealing and righting board is eliminated and the problem oi sealing the usual bottom opening against water leakage is most effectively obviated. The keel i5 cooperates with the beams I6 and the inner layer of adhesive material I4 to reinforce and strengthen the base; and the keel l5 furthermore cooperates with the base recess il to protectively conceal the attachment means l, 9 the eye of which may be used for tying an anchor line or the like thereto. be rendered separable as indicated hereinabove so that the decoys may be readily stored or packaged for transportation in tiers one upon the other; and to aid in stacking thereof in a minimum amount of space, the top wall of each decoy body 5 may be formed with a central longitudinal groove or recess 22 adapted to receive the keel l5 of a body stacked thereon, the groove 22 extending rearwardly, for substantially the len of the body, from a point at the edge of an annular Surface which surrounds the opening 9 and lies in a single plane to form a seat for the head l0. The head HJ may be readily applied, as indicated, by a novice, and both the body 5 and head l0 may be impregnated or coated in the usual manner for water-proofing and may be subsequently painted as desired. In the impregnation and application of the layer I 4, suitable molten adhesive adapted to harden upon cooling may be utilized, and the layer I4 also aids in properly weighting the decoy body so as to maintain it in an upright position while iloating.

It should be understood that it is not desired or intended to limit this invention to the exact details of construction or to the precise mode of use herein shown and described, since various modifications within the scope of the appended claims may occur to persons skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

We claim:

1. An aquatic hunters decoy comprising, a hollow unitary molded pulp body devoid of seams and of substantially uniform wall thickness, said body having an indentation forming a local recess in the base near the front portion thereof and being formed with a depending base projection providing an integral central longitudinal keel extending rearwardly from said local recess, said body also having a top opening surrounded by an exterior surface lying in a single plane and in substantial vertical alinement with said base recess for affording access to the body interior, and said body also being formed with a top recess in substantially the vertical plane with said keel and extending rearwardly from a point on the edge of said single plane surface longitudinally of said body and substantially to the rear end thereof, attachment means extending through the body base within said base recess and provided with attachment portions respec- The head I9 of the decoy may tively located internally and externally of said body, a head having a neck portion penetrating the top opening of said body to normally seal the same, and means associated with the neck portion of said head and detachably connected to the internal attachment portion of said attachment means entirely within the interior of said body.

2. An aquatic hunters decoy comprising, a hollow molded pulp body having a top opening surrounded by an exterior surface lying in a single plane, attachment means carried by the base of said body below said top opening and having an internal attachment portion, a head having a neck portion penetrating the top opening of said body to a normally seal the same and also having a surface lying in a single plane and adapted for seating on the single plane surface of said body, and resilient means associated with the neck portion of said head and detachably connected to the internal attachment portion of said attachment means entirely within the interior of said body whereby said head is maintained in seated position on said body to seal said top opening while being rotatable relative to said body, said body having a similar external surface contour over the front portion thereof extending substantially to opposite sides of the top opening and having a dissimilar surface contour rearwardly of said top opening, and said head having the lower external surface of its front portion of a contour substantially corresponding to the adjacent external surface of the front portion of the body whereby those portions will remain in substantially contacting slidable relation when the head is turned relative to said body while relative rotation thereof is limited by the body portion of dissimilar contour.

3. An aquatic hunters decoy comprising, a hollow molded pulp body having a top opening, a head having a neck portion penetrating the top opening of said body to normally seal the same, and means for maintaining said head in seated position on said body to seal said top opening while permitting rotation of said head relative to said body, said body having a similar external surface contour over an extended front portion thereof and having a dissimilar surface contour rearwardly of said top opening, and said head having the lower external surface of its front portion of a contour substantially corresponding to the adjacent external surface of the front portion of the body whereby those portions will remain in substantially contacting slidable relation when the head is turned relative to said body while relative rotation thereof is limited by the body portion of dissimilar contour.

ARTHUR I-I. RISCH. ARTHUR J. NELSON.

References Cited in the iile of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,212,099 Nicholson Jan. 9, 1917 1,358,479 Sweet Nov-*9, 1920 2,090,699 Plunkett Aug. 24, 1937 2,162,786 Oeding June 20, 1939 2,196,078 Pearce Apr. 2, 1940 2,237,194 Ohnmacht Apr. l, 1941 2,494,631 Risch Jan. 17, 1950 2,495,720 Heymann Jan. 31, 1950 2,495,721 Heymann Jan. 3l, 1950 2,564,890 Fox Aug. 21, 1951 2,611,988 Senior et al Sept. 30, 1952 

